Toe-straightening device.



W. M. SCHOLL.

TOE STRAIGHTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1912.

Patgnted Mar. 11, 1913.

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v 0 1 0 I 8 m V \hh fi I 0 I 6 1 2 6 MY WILLIAM M. SCHOLL, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

TOE-STRAIGHTENING DEVICE.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

, Application filed January 22, 1912. Serial No. 672,596.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. SoHoLL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Toe-Straightening Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists in a toe straightening device applicable to thehuman foot to correct that displacement of the phalanges of the greattoe which is the'prime cause of bunion formation and by straighteningthe great toe (and referably the second toe also) to reduce t e bunionand aid in the restoration of the foot to normal condition.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a-splint, andattaching devices therefor, applicable to the human .foot to exert an.appropriate leverage tendingto restore the laterally displaced phalangesof the great toe to normal position, with minimum discomfort to thewearer.

In the drawing, wherein I have shown an embodiment of my invention forpurposes of .full disclosure: Figure 1 isav perspective view of theappliance showing its applica- 7 tion to a foot illustrated in dottedlines; Fig.

2 is a longitudinal section. on line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is atransverse section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment shown 5 indicates a metallic splint comprising, ingeneral longitudinal alinement, a toe portion 6, a body portion 7, afulcrum portion 8, and a heel portion 9. The body portion 7 ispreferably of annular form providing a central opening 10 for receptionof the bunion enlargement, and suitably dished approximately to conformto the bunion. The toe portion 6 in front thereof is a straight,relatively-stiff lever arm to lie alongside of the great too; thefulcrum portion 8 in rear of the body portion is preferabl a transversecross arm curved to embrace t e inner side of the footjust in the rearof the enlarged joint, and by its extension below and above the foot toprevent vertical displacement of the splint; and the heel extension 9constitutes a straight,.relatively stiff lever arm to be acted on by theattaching devices, being preferably in an integral construction.

The splint is intended to receive a bearing against the foot at theportion 8; to exten around the bunion and along the inner side of thegreat toe for attachment of the .toe extremity 6 of the splint to thegreat toe of the wearer and to project rearwardly beyond the bearing 8,to receive tension applying straps by which the heel end of the splintmay be forced toward the foot, exerting a leverage, with the bearingportion 8 as a fulcrum, to straighten the great toe toward its properposition insubstantial parallelism with the axis of the foot. I

The effective bearing of the fulcrum portion 8 is preferably offsetlaterally toward the foot from the general longitudinal line of thesplint, and while this may be done in various ways I preferably securealo the inside of the fulcrum portion 8 a relatively thick pad of felt,as shown at 8, or otherwise provide a padded bearing laterally ofl'setas described. I

The entire inner surface of the splint, including the bearing portion,is preferably covered with a felt cover piece 11 suitably shaped andcemented or otherwise secured tothe splint, such felt layer giving thestruture a measurable conformability to the peculiarities of theindividual foot, preventing contact of the metal with the flesh,paddingthe entire structure to some extent andgiving a yieldable covering forthe bunion-re ceiving aperture 10. I

Means are provided in conjunction with the toereceiving portion 6 of theappliance for securing it firmly to the great toe, and preferably also,for anchoring thereto the second toe which is generally more or lessdistorted by the outward displacement of the great toe. In the specificconstruction shown, 14 indicates a cot or band age of soft leather orother appropriate material encircling the toe portion 6 of the splint,and the contiguous part of the felt cover, secured to the splint as byrivets 15, and eyeleted to receive the lacing l7, adjustably to securethe cot around the great toe. A strap 18 is preferably further provided,folded upon itself and anchored as by rivet 19 to the splint and havinglength-adjusting fastening means as the buckle 20, so that the foldedstrap may be run over the top of the great toe, and looped around thesecond toe as shown in the drawings, thereby to lift the second toe andproperly position it in respect to the great toe.

Patented Mar. 11,1913.

' the heel of the splint is drawn inward. Va-

rious arrangements to this end may be provided, that which I have shownconsisting of a strap 25, anchored as by rivet 26, to the strap 22, atabout the center of the foot, at the base of the upper instep, andextending thence through suitable receiving slots 27 in the heel 9 ofthe splint under and around the foot, to a buckle 28 attached to thestrap beyond the anchorage point 26.

It will be'seen in the construction described that the portion or courseof the strap 25 lying between the rivet 26 and the receiving slots 27constitutes an anchorage to prevent the rear end of the splint frombeing depressed, the tortuous passage of the strap through the slits inthe splint sutlicing to give adequately fixed connection yet permittingof ready adjustment of the parts and that the portion of the straprunning under the foot to the buckle is a tension applying means. I

It will be understood that as the structure is applied the toes arefirst strapped so that the appliance stands in relation to the footsomewhat as shown in Fig. 2, then the strap 22 is tightened adequatelyto localize the fulcrum point, and then strap 25 is tightened at thebuckle 28, so that the heel end of the splint is drawn in by thatportion of strap 25 passing under the instep arch to rock the splintonits fulcrum, the arrangement of the strap shown preventing any slippingof the strap on the instep, and conforming the appliance effectively tothe irregular contour of the human foot.

While I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment of myinvention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changesin details might be made without departin from the spirit of myinvention and wit in the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a splint structure comprisinga toe portion, an intermediate portion to extend past a bunion, aninwardly protruding fulcrum structure in rear of said intermediateportion, a longitudinal extension in rear of said fulcrum portion,combined with means to secure said toe portion to a human toe andadjustable tension applying means to connect the rearward extension to ahuman foot, whereby said splint may act as a lever finding its fulcrumon the inwardly offset structure in rear of the bunion and rocking onsaid bearing to draw the toe to proper position.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a splintproviding a toe portion, means to secure said toe portion to a humantoe, an intermediate portion shaped to extend past a bunion, an inwardlyotl'set portion in rear of said intermediate portion, forming a fulcrumto localize the pressure in rear of the bunion when in use,a heelextension in rear of said fulcrum and adjustable means to connect theheel portion of the splint to. the foot.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a splintproviding a bunion encircling body, a toe engaging means in frontthereof, a fulcrum portion in rear of said body, a heel extension inrear of said fulcrum portion, and an adjustable means to connect saidsplint to the foot, comprising a foot encircling strapassociated withsaid fulcrum portion and a second strap associated with said heelextension to draw said heel extension toward the foot, whereby saidsplint may act on said fulcrum to draw the engaged toe outwardly toproper position, v

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a splintof relatively stilf material shaped and proportioned to extend along theoutside of the great toe of the human foot, past an enlarged bunion, andalong the inside of the foot in rear of said bunion, an inwardly offsetpadded part between the bunion receiving portion of the splint and therearward extension, means to connect the front end of the splint to thegreat toe, and adjustable means to connect the rearward extremity of thesplint to the foot, thereby to rock said splint on the offset paddedportion as a fulcrum. r

5. In a device of the character described, the combination'of arelatively stifi' continureceiving portion shaped to extend pastabunion, a rearwardly extended heel extension and a fulcrum portion,transversely dished for conformity with the human foot,

between the bunion receiving portion and 7 foot, a cover piece for theinside surface of diately in'rear of saidextension, a bunion re 1'3 cmsplint providing a toe portion, a bunion l toe extension and atransversely curved por- In testimony whereof I hereunto set my tionbetween said bunion recelving ortion hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

and the heel extension inwardly 0 set to form a fulcrum on which thesplint may WILLIAM SCHOLL' rock when in use, means to attach the toe Inthe presence of extension to a human toe and means to at- W. LINN ALLEN,tach the heel extension to the foot. n MARY F. ALLE

